In a concerning revelation, over seven lakh elderly citizens and persons with disabilities in Odisha are currently awaiting their social security pensions from the government. This significant backlog was disclosed by Social Security Minister Nityananda Gond during the state assembly session on Friday.
Massive Pendency Across Welfare Schemes
Responding to queries from legislator Padmalochan Panda, Minister Gond provided detailed figures showing the extent of the problem. A staggering 7.11 lakh beneficiaries have applied under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), while another 17,606 applications are pending under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).
The minister was specifically questioned about how many people over 80 years of age and those with 80% or more disabilities had applied for pensions under various welfare schemes. The government was also asked about its plans to verify and clear the massive backlog of applications.
District-Wise Breakdown Reveals Disparities
The district-wise data reveals significant variations in pendency across Odisha. Ganjam district tops the list with 75,901 pending applications, followed closely by Mayurbhanj (50,447), Balasore (42,761), and Cuttack (43,432).
On the other end of the spectrum, Nuapada district has the lowest pendency with only 4,556 applications awaiting processing. Other districts with relatively lower numbers include Deogarh (4,826) and Malkangiri (4,891).
Government Assurance and Current Beneficiaries
Minister Gond assured the assembly that the government is taking necessary steps to clear the pendency and provide pensions to eligible beneficiaries at the earliest. The social welfare schemes include both central and state government initiatives.
In response to another query from legislator Pradip Kumar Dishari regarding the number of current pension recipients, Gond revealed that 36.62 lakh beneficiaries under MBPY and 19.55 lakh under NSAP are currently receiving pensions from the government.
The minister also highlighted that during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years, 3.37 lakh new beneficiaries were added and provided pensions under various social security schemes. He specifically noted that persons aged over 80 years and those with disabilities exceeding 80% are receiving a pension of Rs 3,500 per month.
Addressing concerns about transparency raised by legislator Sagar Charan Das, Gond stated that the government has implemented 13 social welfare schemes under the social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities department. These include the Banishree scholarship, Dishaa, Sweekruti and Sahaya initiatives.
